wow...what a long strange trips its been... I hunted last 4 days before gun season near Baker(Hardy Co.)..saw 7 bucks that when put together wouldn't make 1 good spike!! all had 2" devil horns sticking out of their heads. no racks seen,which is unusual. after hunting the 1st 2 days of rifle, I saw a total of 2 deer..a devil buck and 1 doe. out of the 4 camps around us, there wastwo 6 pts...one 5 pt... two 4 pts and 3 spikes taken.. a very sad beginning for what was going to be a"Better buck due to less deer" season.we're talking an area about 3 sq miles.the herd count is well below the carrying capacity of that area, and the locals aren't very thrilled with the current state of the herd. I know that bigger bucks WILL emerge if left@ this level, but don't see the state selling many extra stamps next year... you'd be wasting your $$ in Hardy Co..... the locals who are 6 generations deep say that this is the fewest deer seen oiver an entire year, not just hunting season. they feel, as I do, that the DNR over harvested the deer in that county. the largest buck checked in @ Baker as of Tuesday, was a 7 pointer(according to my cousin who checked the 5 pt ) anyone who knows that area, can testify of what it USED to be, and what it could become if managed properly. everyone wants less deer for bigger racks, but killing off TOO MANY of the breeding does, is detrimental to that management plan. the local farmers have all stated that too many does were being killed off...they were right, regardless of what the conservationists are saying.
you know it's bad when the outlaws start complaining of no deer...like the camp down the road...all from Boone county.(tells me something about the hunting ethic down there, just callin' it the way I see it.)
but those small bucks make me smile for next yrs bow season !! I'm anxious to see the final tally for that county and the state overall. They say a larger harvest... the checking #s aren't supporting that assumption. those hunting west of I-79 will have the best hunting ...again.